Dog Behavioural Counseling
When we take a dog into our lives, we expect a good-mannered and well-adjusted pet that we can enjoy having as a companion for many years. If your dog develops behavioural problems, it puts a strain on this loving relationship and can be extremely stressful for both owner and dog. Luckily, most dogs want to please their owners and be good pets. Many behavioural problems amount to a lack of communication between human and canine. With the right training techniques and some understanding of how dogs think, behavioural counselling can help solve the problems and rebuild that quality relationship with your best friend.
How can dog counsellors help?
With your veterinary visit, the veterinarian can give you advice on dealing with any behavioural problems your dog may have, whether it is a puppy or an adult.
The first step is to talk about the issue to get the details of the problem. A physical exam is always performed to rule out the possibility of a medical cause for the behaviour. Once the root of the issue is identified, the veterinarian can teach you how to train your dog with techniques like desensitization, recondition, and behavioural shaping. Along with training methods, nutraceutical supplements may be recommended. These supplements have a mild calming effect that lets a nervous dog relax enough to be able to learn from its new training. In severe behavioural cases, medications can be prescribed. These are never used as a sole treatment without training and can be of great benefit to dogs that always feel stressed or anxious. Certain issues exceed the scope of what can be provided in a 30-minute consultation. If we believe that your dog would benefit from regular obedience training sessions we can refer you to a professional dog trainer and behaviourist approved by the PetFocus group for reliability and quality.
What happens after a consultation?
Although we would like for problematic behaviours to be resolved immediately, most issues take time and effort to improve. During this time of new training programs and medications, we continue to offer support to you and your dog. Recheck appointments may be scheduled to monitor the dog’s progress and refine the training techniques. You may also phone your veterinarian to discuss any questions you have throughout the process. We address behavioural issues like we would any other health problem and will work with you until you achieve success.